Reenchantment without Supernaturalism: A Process Philosophy of Religion / Edition 1

by David Ray Griffin

Overview

The process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne has made many distinctive contributions to the philosophy of religion. David Ray Griffin now offers the first full-scale philosophy of religion written from this perspective, discussing such topics as the relationship between science and religion, the validity of religious experience, the nature and existence of God, religious pluralism, creation and evolution, and the problem of evil. Griffin's clear and comprehensive book also serves as a valuable introduction to process philosophy itself.In his vigorous defense of a worldview that is fully naturalistic and fully religious, Griffin shows not only how this position reconciles naturalism with freedom, genuine religious experience, and even life after death, but also how its naturalistic theism "reenchants" the world in the sense of providing cosmic support for moral values.Highly original and sometimes controversial, Griffin's book develops its stance in conversation with influential proponents of other philosophical positions, including William P. Alston, Jürgen Habermas, John Hick, Colin McGinn, Alvin Plantinga, Hilary Putnam, Willard Quine, Ninian Smart, Jeffrey Stout, and Bernard Williams.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801486579
Publisher:	Cornell University Press
Publication date:	11/14/2000
Series:	Cornell Studies in the Philosophy of Religion
Pages:	440
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.12(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

David Ray Griffin is Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate University. Among his many books are Religion and Scientific Naturalism: Overcoming the Conflicts; Unsnarling the World-Knot: Consciousness, Freedom, and the Mind-Body Problem; and Evil Revisited: Responses and Reconsiderations.

What People are Saying About This

Nancy Frankenberry

In this comprehensive study, David Griffin gives us not only the most up-to-date process philosophy of religion, but also the most cogent statement of his own leading interpretation of process thought. He corrects supernaturalistic theism with a naturalistic version of theism, and refines reigning versions of naturalism with a Whiteheadian account. The result is a reenchanted worldview.

Eugene Thomas Long

David Ray Griffin, at present the leading proponent of process theism, provides his readers with a full-scale process philosophy of religion. Writing from his own perspective, he discusses in a clear and knowledgeable manner all of the fundamental topics in the philosophy of religion while engaging in conversations with many leading analytic philosophers of religion. There is no other single volume that provides such a comprehensive analysis of process philosophy of religion.

Editorial Reviews

Occasionally, a book comes along that is definitive for its field of study, a book that marks a milestone in thought.... Griffin has written just such a book—a book that, by all rights, should mark a watershed in the academic study of religion.... Griffin makes about as strong a case as one can in a single volume for a genuine and viable alternative.

The Journal of Religion

Because of its novel formulations and its responses to questions in contemporary philosophy of religion, this book is recommended mainly to those who are process 'insiders.' Its novel formulations and responses to questions of scientific concern make this book a resource to scientists seeking answers that are both religiously and scientifically adequate. Due to the comprehensive presentation of process thought in Reenchantment Without Supernaturalism, this book is recommended to those who want to decide for themselves what they've previously only heard others praise or criticize.

Research News and Opportunities in Science and Theology

In this important work David Ray Griffin provides an admirably lucid exposition of the central theses of Process Philosophy, and argues for its superiority both over materialist naturalism and supernaturalist theism.... Griffin's criticisms both of materialistic naturalism and of traditional supernaturalist theism are to be taken seriously.

Australian Journal of Philosophy

This is both a clear and accurate introduction to the metaphysical philosophy of A.N. Whitehead, using much of his self-devised technical language, and an examination of all the questions of philosophical theology from that viewpoint.

Theology

In this work, Griffin has provided a careful, thorough, and thoughtful account of what process philosophy of religion involves. Remarkably comprehensive, he uses this work to cover everything from human personhood and morality to evil and the concept of God. He is explicit in his understanding of what religion involves, and it is reassuring to see a philosopher of religion spending much time on what is often assumed rather than discussed.... This is a mature work that offers an excellent and comprehensive philosophy of religion from the standpoint of process thought.... Religion is revealed as the attempt to connect with reality, and it is this rather beautiful vision of the need for an engagement with the awesome world around us that remains long after the book has been finished.

Ars Disputandi

Because of its novel formulations and its responses to questions in contemporary philosophy of religion, this book is recommended mainly to those who are process 'insiders.' Its novel formulations and responses to questions of scientific concern make this book a resource to scientists seeking answers that are both religiously and scientifically adequate. Due to the comprehensive presentation of process thought in Reenchantment Without Supernaturalism, this book is recommended to those who want to decide for themselves what they've previously only heard others praise or criticize.

-- "Research News and Opportunities in Science and Theology"

Griffin deserves high marks for elevating process thought onto a level of respectability, even among analytically oriented thinkers.

-- "Transcendent Philosophy"

In this important work David Ray Griffin provides an admirably lucid exposition of the central theses of Process Philosophy, and argues for its superiority both over materialist naturalism and supernaturalist theism.... Griffin's criticisms both of materialistic naturalism and of traditional supernaturalist theism are to be taken seriously.

-- "Australian Journal of Philosophy"

In this work, Griffin has provided a careful, thorough, and thoughtful account of what process philosophy of religion involves. Remarkably comprehensive, he uses this work to cover everything from human personhood and morality to evil and the concept of God. He is explicit in his understanding of what religion involves, and it is reassuring to see a philosopher of religion spending much time on what is often assumed rather than discussed.... This is a mature work that offers an excellent and comprehensive philosophy of religion from the standpoint of process thought.... Religion is revealed as the attempt to connect with reality, and it is this rather beautiful vision of the need for an engagement with the awesome world around us that remains long after the book has been finished.

-- "Ars Disputandi"

Occasionally, a book comes along that is definitive for its field of study, a book that marks a milestone in thought.... Griffin has written just such a book--a book that, by all rights, should mark a watershed in the academic study of religion.... Griffin makes about as strong a case as one can in a single volume for a genuine and viable alternative.

-- "The Journal of Religion"

This is both a clear and accurate introduction to the metaphysical philosophy of A.N. Whitehead, using much of his self-devised technical language, and an examination of all the questions of philosophical theology from that viewpoint.

-- "Theology"

From the Publisher

Griffin deserves high marks for elevating process thought onto a level of respectability, even among analytically oriented thinkers.

Transcendent Philosophy

"In this comprehensive study, David Griffin gives us not only the most up-to-date process philosophy of religion, but also the most cogent statement of his own leading interpretation of process thought. He corrects supernaturalistic theism with a naturalistic version of theism, and refines reigning versions of naturalism with a Whiteheadian account. The result is a reenchanted worldview."

Nancy Frankenberry

"David Ray Griffin, at present the leading proponent of process theism, provides his readers with a full-scale process philosophy of religion. Writing from his own perspective, he discusses in a clear and knowledgeable manner all of the fundamental topics in the philosophy of religion while engaging in conversations with many leading analytic philosophers of religion. There is no other single volume that provides such a comprehensive analysis of process philosophy of religion."

Eugene Thomas Long